Letters to the Editor, Oct. 31

San Francisco Chronicle

October 30, 2015

Photo: Philippe Huguen, AFP / Getty Images

A photo taken on October 28, 2015 shows meat at a butcher shop in Godewaersvelde. Sausages, ham and other processed meats cause bowel cancer, and red meat "probably" does too, a UN agency warned on October 26, 2015 in a potentially heavy blow for the fast-growing livestock industry. AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE HUGUENPHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on October 28, 2015 shows meat at a butcher shop in...

Regarding “Can we restore faith in voting?” (Oct. 29): Cheers to Matt Mahan and his project for encouraging voter participation through social media. But why not drop the other shoe: Find a way for folks to actually vote via the Internet, social media, or whatever?

If people can express themselves on a real issue by pushing a button, they are much more likely to pay attention. Certainly there are challenges: Hacking comes to mind. But it’s hard to believe that the high-tech minds with which the Bay Area is generously endowed could not find a way around that obstacle. We would have to start locally, as changing the state constitution is unthinkable.

Maybe San Francisco or other communities could start by selecting a few low-stress issues for digital decision. Maybe the digital public could serve as an extra supervisor. Given the limitations of the present system, it can’t hurt to try.

At both the beginning and the end of his article, Ken Albala forgot to include the most salient aspect of eating pork products. At the beginning, he speaks of his love of all things porcine. The corrected sentence should read: of all things porcine except the pig. His last sentence asks: Is a life without bacon worth living? But he’s asking the wrong species. Ask the pig.

Have you tried eating dog, Mr. Albala? That could be very good, too.

Rocky Leplin, Richmond

Vegetarian life

Thanks for your “A mealtime warning on meat” (Editorial, Oct. 30) about the dangers of eating meat, but as someone who really enjoys eating good food, I take issue with the comment that “human taste buds would have a hard time turning away from meat.” It’s not harder than any other habit to break.

In fact, becoming a vegetarian over 40 years ago was relatively easy after I realized that meat consumption causes the slaughter of billions of animals every year. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done for my physical and spiritual well being, for other animals and for the planet.

Celia Menczel, Walnut Creek

Keep old bridge

What if the Bay Bridge collapses? Caltrans’ new eastern span of the bridge is in daily use, dangerous or not. If it fails in the wind or a earthquake, how will people get off fast? A practical way exists for the moment. The original eastern span (Skyway section) is still there very nearby, paralleling the new bridge for almost its entire length. It can just sit there (very cheaply) for a few years to see if the new span holds up (bad pun I admit). It can be a rescue, escape, and rebuilding platform if a bridge collapse jams traffic and blocks first-responder vehicles and crews.

Both old and new spans rise to 20 stories above bay waters. Rescue from below or above would be problematic. About 350,000 people use the Bay Bridge each day in 280,000 vehicles. That’s one million tons of stress. This bridge carries more yearly traffic than all other state-owned bridges in California combined. The original span need not be demolished.

Joe Moran, Orinda

Leaked names

Regarding “New dishonor roll of water guzzlers” (Oct. 30): I was pleased to read a second revelatory installment about the ongoing extreme water misuse by prominent East Bay 1 percenters.

In the noble tradition of the great muckrakers of the early 20th century, I salute the three Chronicle reporters who have doggedly pursued and obtained the release of public information that lists those irresponsible individuals who waste the planet’s most precious resource.

Like a famous Thomas Nast cartoon depiction of the Tammany Hall ring, the egregious offenders stand in a confused circle, blaming someone or something else next to them for their predicament. Their biggest challenges seem to spring from “multiple leaks,” “having enough lawn for my dogs to play on,” and being shackled by large-scale landscaping that “went in long before the state dried up.” It’s more likely that their greatest concern is the leaking of their names.

Rob Sloan, Alameda

About the refugees

Does anyone else wonder why the oil-rich Arab countries with plentiful resources are not offering to take in some of the Syrian refugees? They share a similar culture, religion and language.

Jonathan Pritikin, Mill Valley

Keep the Raiders

If Mark Davis was truly sincere about wanting to keep the Raiders in Oakland, he would keep them in Oakland.